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COPS ADMIT NEGLIGENCE IN THABANI’S CASE

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi | 2021-07-30

Matsapha- A sergeant from Sigodvweni Police Station who was on duty the night Thabani Nkomonye was involved in an accident has admitted that there was negligence in the manner the investigation of Thabani’s missing person report was handled.

Sergeant Ntombikayise Sithole revealed this during cross-examination yesterday during the inquiry.

Attorney Gigi Reid, who is representing the Nkomonye family in the matter said Constable Kunene, an officer who attended to the accident had put in information about a vehicle that was involved in an accident. She said the family later ran an advert of the same vehicle about a missing person who was driving it.

She said the advert was run by the police yet the vehicle was in their possession. Sithole said the advert had the full details of the vehicle. Sithole said due to other tasks, she was only able to see the advertisement on Thursday.

She stated that adverts issued by police normally circulate on all police stations, adding that as a senior sergeant, had seen the advert, she would have checked the number plate of the vehicle and report that they do have a car with those registration plates.

She said it was their duty to do that, but it was unfortunate that on that day they were busy.

Sithole said she had hoped that the person who was driving the motor vehicle would come back and claim it as motorists usually do. She said on Monday, there was a strike staged by public transport operators. She stated that her superiors had assigned her to work at Mahhala traffic circle.

She added that due to the activities of that day, she forgot to continue with the investigation.

Reid said the police were negligent because an announcement was issued by the law enforcers yet the vehicle was parked at their (police) station. Reid put it to Sergeant Sithole that there was negligence on the part of the police.

Sithole responded to the affirmative. “Nkosi yenkantolo ngeke ngibaleke ngiyavumelana naye kutsi khona budlabha lesabenta,” Sithole stated in vernacular.

Reid said procedure was flouted drastically on the night of the accident. Sithole, in response, said they took it lightly as such accidents do happen.

“This accident has been an eye opener to all of us that we must not take things lightly with the idea that such accidents usually happen,” Sithole stated before the coroner.

The Coroner, Senior Magistrate Nonhlanhla Dlamini, enquired what happened on Tuesday.

She wanted to know if there was anything done from Monday to Wednesday because clearly as the traffic department, they were supposed to do follow ups as the driver of the vehicle had not been located. Sithole admitted that nothing was done as they took it for granted as such things usually happen.

The coroner enquired why officer Kunene who was on the scene on the night was not assigned to go back and check on the accident scene the following day. She wondered why was he then assigned to another accident at Engen.?

Sithole said it was not true that Constable Kunene was told that he would not go to Nhlambeni, but was assigned to Engen because they were about to knock off.

Sergeant Sithole refuted Constable Kunene’s statement, saying he did not tell the truth before the coroner. The coroner ended by noting that it would seem like there was laxity at the police station.

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